According to Salesforce’s 2020 Report, the average number of marketing channels used in 2017 by advertisers was 5.4. In 2018, it’s climbing to 6.2 different marketing channels.

Yet every single marketing channel (Facebook, YouTube, Paid Search, TV, Affiliate, etc.) wants to show themselves as being the most effective channel at bringing in conversions even though there are six channels sharing credit.

In fact, most channels provide their own form of siloed measurement, like Google Analytics or Facebook, whose results defy all knowledge of the multi-channel consumer journey reported by Salesforce.

But LinkedIn B2B advertising transcends this norm with a surprising reversal by undervaluing their contribution by a factor of 8.8.

Now, LinkedIn and even HH Addressable TV are emerging as viable B2B channels.

Of all the B2B channels, LinkedIn is exclusively business.

There’s no better qualified pool of business prospects in a lean-forward, business frame of mind…than LinkedIn.

What’s the Key to 8.8X

The key to 8.8x is creative.

David Poltrack, Chief Research Officer at CBS demonstrated in a 2013 ARF study that 70% of TV’s impact is from creative.

“In LinkedIn’s lean-forward community, creative is easily 90%”, according to C3 Metrics co-founder Jeff Greenfield. “Poltrack’s TV numbers represents traditional TV, which is lean-back and includes call to action messaging, sight & sound. LinkedIn ads are tiny and without sound – if you can get the creative to work, you can discover that 8.8X. But if you can’t get creative to work in LinkedIn, it’s dry as a desert.”

What’s This Costing LinkedIn?

Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, is touted as the third coming of ad conglomerates next to Google and Facebook. Estimated ad revenue and net operating income from Amazon and LinkedIn advertising paints Bezos as roughly 2.5x bigger.

But the other Jeff, Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn may have the pearl in the oyster, not Jeff Bezos. Paint in the profit upside, with a view of the full Consumer Journey, and Jeff W. comes out 3x more profitable than Jeff B.

But, can he get there?

LinkedIn, not Amazon, may be the (hidden) third coming of advertising.